Ant-trap.



J. A. HOLMAN.

ANT TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25, 1914.

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2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

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J- HOLMHN J. A. HOLMAN.

ANT TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED 111111.25, 1914.

1,126,216. Patented Jan.26, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO., PHczTmLlTHQ, wAsHlNGroN, D. C2

JAMES A. HOLMAN, OF SALIDA, COLORADO.

ANT-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 26, 1915.

Application filed April 25, 1914. Serial No. 834,483.

T 0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, Jamas A. HoLMAN, citizen of the United States,residing at Salida, in the county of Chaffee and State of Colorado, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ant-Traps, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to ant traps.

The object of the invention is to provide an article of this characterwhich shall be exceedingly simple in construction, certain of operation,and in which the retention of the ants against escape when once capturedis prevented in a certain manner.

lilith the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the natureof the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts of an ant trap as will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, andin which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts:Figure 1 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through an ant trapconstructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a topplan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of a portion ofthe apparatus; Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view; Fig. 5 is a horizontalsectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a transversesectional view through one of the lures showing the manner in which thesame is attached to the top; Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional viewtakenon the line 7-7 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectionaldetail view through the lead-in.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the cage or body of the trap,which, as clearly shown, is of truncated cone shape, and is providedwith an inset bottom 2. The cage, bottom and other parts of thestructure hereinafter to be described are made preferably from sheetmetal of any character and may be ornamented to add to theattractiveness of its appearance. The bottom is provided adjacent onewall with an inlet opening 8 over which is secured a leadin, the samecomprising a vertical rear wall Ll, two side walls 5 that convergetoward the center of the cage, and an inclined front wall 6, the latterbeing preferably covered with a strip 7 of some soft material such asleather or rubber, to facilitate the entrance of the ants into the cage.The top of the lead-in is closed by a cover 8 having down turned cleats9 that are secured by soldering to the side walls of the lead-in, butthis is not essential, as the cover may be secured in place in any otherpractical manner, and still be within the scope of the invention. Thefront end of the cover 8 is provided with a V-shaped inlet 10 throughwhich the ants enter the cage, and to the under side of the bottom issecured a series of plates 11 that radiate from the opening 3 andconstitute lguides to direct the ants to the inlet opening.

One of the essential features of the invention resides in the provisionof a novel form of lure by which the ants are attracted, and at certainpoints thereon are caused to slip therefrom and drop into the bottom ofthe cage, and owing to the inward inclination of the walls of the cagetheir attempt to escape from the top thereof will be frustrated. Each ofthese lures comprises a shank 12 and an inverted spoon bowl shaped head13, the shank of one of the lures being secured to the inner wall of thelead-in, and that of the other lure to the opposite wall of the cage,the points of the lure being opposed and spaced by a small gap 14. lt isintended that these lures shall be very smoothly finished and polished,so as to reduce the suction between the feet of the ants and the surfaceof the lures to the minimum and to increase their attractiveness, as thelight entering the top of the cage and striking the upper surface of thelures will render them peculiarly enticing to the insects, and as theants travel over the lures and approach the points thereof they willslip therefrom to the bottom of the cage, or if they attempt to pass thegap 14 the same result will ensue.

Secured to the upper end of the cage is a top 15 having therein anopening that defines a circular path 16 around which the ants that passup from the `outside of the cage may travel. Secured to the top are theShanks 17 of two lures 18, which correspond in arrangement and functionto those in the lower portion of the cage, but are disposed preferablyat right angles thereto. In order to attract the ants to the upper pairof lures, there is a bait holder provided which coniprises a rod 19which passes through the top 15 and has its lower end secured in akeeper 20 on the inner walls of the cage adjacent to the bottom. Theupper' end of the rod is provided with an angularly disposed extensionor arm 21 that terminates in a hook 22 and to which is secured a pieceof string 23 carrying the bait 24, which may be ot' any substanceattractive to the ants and is suspended some distance above the lures 18so as to prevent the ants from reaching it. In order to facilitatehandling the trap, a bail 25 is provided which is suitably hinged to thetop 15.

In the use or' the device, when the parts are assembled as described,the same is placed over points where the ants will congregate, and thedepending flange 26 formed by the inset bottom 2 will sink into theground and prevent the ants from escaping laterally from the cage. Thusthe ants under the bottom will be directed by the guides 11 to theopening 3, thence up the inclined wall 6 of the lead-in, whence theywill nass out through the inlet l() and onto the lure projecting fromthe lead-in. In the attempt to escape from the lure they will naturallyapproach its inner end, and owing to their inability to retain theirfooting will slip from the point and drop to the bottom, and if in afurther attempt to escape they scale the wall and reach the lure on theopposite side or' the cage, the same result will ensue. The ants thattravel up the outer side of the cage will meet the same fate by passingonto the lures 18. When all of the ants have been trapped, the cage maybe immersed in a pail of hot water, thus destroying its contents.

From the foregoing description it will be see/n that althcugh the deviceof this invention is exceedingly simple in construction, it will befound thoroughly etlicient for the purpose Jfor which it is designed,and will supply an effective implement for use by farmers and otherpersons who are troubled by ants'.

having thus described my invention,what I claim is:

1. In an ant trap, a cage provided with an inset bottom having anopening, a lead-in disposed over the opening and provided with a. tophaving a relatively small inlet,

and inverted spoon-bowl shaped lures projecting from the lead-in andfrom the opposite wall of the cage and having their points opposed andspaced by a small gap.

2. In an ant trap, a cage provided with an inset bottom having anopening, a lead-in disposed over the opening and provided with a tophaving a relatively small inlet, guides arranged on the under side ofthe bottom and radiating from the opening, and inverted spoon-bowlshaped lures projecting from the lead-in and from the opposite wall ofthe cage and having their points opposed and spaced by a small gap.

3. In an ant trap, a cage provided with an inset bot-tom having anopening, a leadin disposed over the opening and having an inclined wall,a top provided with an inlet adjacent to the wall, guides arranged onthe under side of the bottom and radiating from the opening, andinverted spoon-bowl shaped lures projecting from the lead-in and fromthe opposite wall of the cage and having their points opposed and spacedby a small gap.

fl. In an ant trap, a truncated cone shaped cage provided with an insetbottom having an opening therein, and a top having an opening deiining apath, a lead-in disposed over the opening in the bottom of the cage andprovided with a top having a relatively small inlet, guides arranged onthe under side of the bottom and radiating from the opening, invertedspoon-bowl shaped lures projecting from the lead-in and from theopposite walls of the cage and having their points opposed and spaced bya small gap, lures secured to the top of the cage and corresponding inarrangement and function to thc-se at the bcttcm but disposed at rightangles thereto, and a bait holder carried by the cage.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiX my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES A. HOLMAN.

Vitnesses:

C. W. GLOYD, O. S. KRAMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing'the Commissioner of Patents,

i Washington, D. C.

